Kochi: Angered at being asked to switch off the television, some soccer crazy fans, watching the Euro Cup's crucial Italy-Bulgaria match early today (June 23, 2004), allegedly beat up an employee of a lodging house in the city, resulting in serious head injuries to him.

Another employee of the lodge, who was taking his injured colleague to a nearby hospital, collapsed and died after a massive cardiac arrest, police said.

The incident took place at around 02:00 hours (IST) this morning at a city lodge here.

When an employee tried to switch off the television as the other guests were getting disturbed, about eight of the 30-odd computer personnel who were staying in the lodge objected as they wanted to see the crucial match, which saw Italy out of the quarter-finals.

The personnel were in Kochi in connection with the computerisation programme of the city Corporation Office under the "Mission Kerala" programme.

When the staffer persisted, the angered fans, pulled out a steel chair and allegedly hit him on the head, causing serious injuries.

While he was being taken to the hospital, his colleague suffered massive cardiac arrest and died, police said.

Police has registered a case.